Since the following article contains a detailed discussion of how to choose a law school, you should read it before submitting your applications. Note that being at least somewhat selective is important for most applicants, since law school application fees are not insubstantial and can run into hundreds of dollars or more if one takes a shotgun approach to the application process.
In submitting your applications, the following two suggestions can improve your chances of being accepted. First, be early. Get your applications in as soon as possible and pay attention to deadlines (which vary from school to school). Second, be complete. The materials that schools require vary somewhat, so be sure that you have included everything requested by the particular schools to which you are applying. A telephone call to each school's admissions office can answer any questions you may have regarding specific requirements.
A law schools selection process involves an admissions committee that includes professors who review individual student files, and each member of the committee may review literally thousands of applications. Some applicants are obvious "admits" and some are obvious "rejects," leaving a vast group in the "undecided" middle. Your goal is to make it as easy as possible for the committee to move you from the "undecided" group to the "admit" group.
Some law schools require or at least provide opportunities for applicants to interview with alumni or school officials as part of the application process. A good interview can increase your chances of being accepted, so you should take advantage of such opportunities if geographically and economically feasible. Some schools accommodate geographically remote applicants by having alumni in the area conduct the interviews.
When you have diligently completed all of your applications and followed up on any related inquiries, sit down and relax. This may be difficult. Processing your application may take from a few weeks to several months, and this will seem like an endless period of time.
You can normally be assured that a number of more-favored applicants will decline any particular law school's offer of acceptance simply because they have been accepted at other schools they personally ranked higher. Remember, those hotshots with 4.0 GPAs and 175 LSATs have also wisely chosen schools where they are almost certain to be accepted as backups to their first choice. Their backup school, however, may be your dream school. In that case, you will just have to wait it out. (Incidentally, the author who was placed on a waiting list was offered and accepted admission to that first-choice school, just over a month before classes started. A fellow classmate even transferred to a different school, which accepted him during the first week of classes!)
Despite the general rule that you should not pester a law schools admissions office after your application is completed, there are some limited circumstances (in addition to those mentioned previously) where it might be appropriate for you to communicate with the school. This is especially true if you have been placed on the waiting list and there is additional material (such as a recent publication you have authored or award you have received) that you believe would positively influence your application if made known. The ultimate goal, after all, is to set yourself apart from your closest competitors and convince the admissions committee that you are a truly outstanding candidate.
The author who was placed on the waiting list submitted several free-lance newspaper articles he had written for the op-ed section of a major regional newspaper. While it is impossible to know for sure, perhaps those articles helped tip the balance in his favor. If you find yourself in similar circumstances, you should submit the additional material or information to the school as quickly as possible with a brief explanation as to why it was not sent earlier.
Once you have received responses from all the schools you applied to, you will hopefully be in a position to choose between at least several law schools. If so, act promptly and with consideration for the other people involved in the process. If you definitely know you will not be attending a school that has accepted you, inform the school promptly and courteously. If you desire to keep an acceptance open while waiting for a decision by your dream school, find out when the accepting school needs an answer from you, and inform it of your decision before the deadline. Once you have confirmed an acceptance, obtain and complete whatever additional paperwork is necessary to enroll. You may also request financial aid information and applications at this time.
This article was primarily devoted to providing information regarding admissions requirements and the application process for getting into law school.
